June 27, 2013

June 26, 2013

In a testy exchange tonight on the Senate floor, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., accused Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, of turning down a chance to have an amendment he has co-sponsored added to the immigration bill because "he wants a big show out here. I've had enough. I know he's a smart man . . . but that's enough of this.'' Reid complained about "all this pontificating on this amendment.''

As the Senate struggled to pass a sweeping overhaul of the nation's immigration laws, Reid said he promised Portman and co-sponsor Democrat Jon Tester of Montana they could have their amendment on employment verification folded into the bill but that Portman rejected it. Democrats have complained that Senate Republicans have delayed passage of the bill because they have offered a blizzard of amendments.

That prompted Portman to respond that Reid only agreed to include his amendment as part of a larger amendment on border security and that Portman would have to co-sponsor it. But Portman said "we wanted to have a (separate) debate and a vote on this issue...It's not about us. It's not about politics. It's about the substance of the legislation.''

Adam Jettleson, a Reid spokesman, insisted it was "totally and completely false'' that Portman was forced to accept a deal where his amendment would only be included as part of the border security measure. In a statement tonight, Jettleson said "there was no 'price of admission' whatsoever.''

June 25, 2013

The Liberty Township Tea Party has joined a lawsuit that accuses the Obama administration of violating its constitutional rights after the Internal Revenue Service targeted their application for 501 (c ) status for extra scrutiny.